NOMINATION FOR HRDF: CIVIC ACCOUNTABILITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 001178

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, DHL/PHD (Cumberland, Kara)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KDEM AM
SUBJECT: NOMINATION FOR HRDF: CIVIC ACCOUNTABILITY

REFTEL: STATE 065804


1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.

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SUMMARY
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2. (SBU) Post nominates the program "Police and
Regional Prison Monitoring" for the Human Rights and
Democracy Fund, FY04. This program capitalizes on a
stated GOAM willingness to allow monitoring of
detention facilities, expands an existing prison
monitoring program, and proposes a system of public
oversight of police actions. The program builds on
local and regional initiatives and furthers the
mission's commitment to empowering Armenian citizens
within the framework of democracy. The total cost of
the program is USD 7,800. The program would last 8
months but is very likely to provide sustained benefits
to Armenian monitoring efforts. End Summary.

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CURRENT MONITORING DIFFICULTIES
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3. (SBU) Citizen observers have obtained more access to
prisons since the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) began
administering the Armenian prison system in 2002, and
local human rights NGOs have taken advantage of this
opening. In 2003 eleven Armenian NGOs created the
Civil Society Monitoring Board (CSMB) in cooperation
with the MOJ. One member of each participating NGO
sits on the Board. This group has relatively free
access to prisons in Armenia, and will make its first
annual report to the MOJ and the local news media later
in 2004. This group, however, is limited in three
ways: their activities outside the capital are
sporadic because transportation is expensive for local
NGOs; their numbers are small (only eleven monitors
have been trained); and they have no access to police
facilities.


4. (SBU) The leadership of the National Police (NP) has
been unwilling to allow monitors into police
facilities. Even though a 2002 law requires the NDP
and the MOJ to open their respective facilities to
public inspection, police facilities have remained
closed to observers. NGOs believe that Armenian police
abuse detainees, but citizens are currently unable to
measure the extent of this abuse.

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TRAINING COULD FILL THE GAP
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5. (SBU) Post nominates "Police and Regional Prison
Monitoring" for the Human Rights and Democracy Fund
FY04. The local Helsinki Committee, which is loosely
affiliated with the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, would
monitor the grant, create a framework for effective
monitoring of prisons in regional areas, and establish
a program to visit police facilities. In the long
term, the program plans to create an oversight
institution with the power to observe and prevent the
inhumane treatment of Armenians in detention.


6. (SBU) The program would last for 8 months and cost
USD 7,800. In the first month, the CSMB would identify
regional partners and train them in prison and police
facility monitoring. Planning and training would be
followed by four months of prison monitoring in the
regions. During this period, the CSMB would also
approach the NP to secure an agreement on monitoring
police facilities. The CSMB currently observes prisons
around Yerevan, but regional observations would
intensify under this program. This experience would
give the CSMB a track record of success with which to
approach the NP. The program would use the remaining
three months to train additional observers to observe
police facilities. After completion of the program,
the CSMB would write reports on the treatment of
detainees in prison and police custody, in compliance
with deadlines negotiated with the MOJ and the NP.
Both would be independent, public reports. If the NP
had not yet agreed to inspections, a plan of next steps
could be substituted for that report.


7. (U) The cost of the program would be as follows:
Coordinator 8 months X USD 100 800
Data Analyst and writer 8 months X USD 100 800
Computer 800
Training materials/stationery 1,200
Transportation for training and observation 2,000
Total cost: USD 5,400


8. (SBU) The local NGOs affiliated with CSMB would
provide trainers, observers, and office space. The
Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the OSCE currently
provide additional expert advice and training
assistance to the CSMB. Both agencies have signaled
their willingness to provide additional training
support during the period of this program.

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PROVEN AND UNIQUE
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9. (SBU) The OSCE is familiar with a similar program in
neighboring Georgia. The local OSCE encouraged
Armenian NGOs to form the Civil Society Monitoring
Board in an attempt to emulate the Georgian model.
Like the Georgian program, the Civil Society Monitoring
Board trains individuals to monitor prisons, arranges
access with the MOJ, and collects its findings in an
annual report. This proposed program, however, is a
first for Armenia. It plans to examine the treatment
of detainees nation wide and seeks to create a model
for monitoring police facilities.

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TOWARDS DEMOCRACY
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10. (SBU) With widespread allegations of police
brutality in the penal system, this project is needed
now. By expanding prison monitoring and initiating
monitoring of police detention facilities, this project
has the potential to gather key information for further
discussion and would serve as a deterrent to inhumane
treatment. Most importantly, it would serve as an
example of how citizens can work to monitor and check
government power.


11. (SBU) This program fits firmly within critical
mission Human Rights priorities. Embassy Yerevan has
identified key Mission goals, working to create
"sustainable democratic institutions" and to
"empowering citizens to hold government accountable."
CSMB is creating a transparent system of on-going
observation. The proposed program would consolidate
and extend current gains.


12. (SBU) The effects of "Police and Regional Prison
Monitoring" are fully sustainable. The program trains
individuals, creates a model, and gives a small amount
of equipment to a group that has shown its ability to
sustain a prison monitoring system. The program would
create additional human and material resources the
group can use to bolster further efforts.


13. (SBU) Embassy personnel would evaluate the efficacy
of the program based on five criteria: the number of
regions covered, the number of volunteers trained, the
completion of a monitoring agreement with the MIA, the
number of police detention facilities visited, and the
quality of the public reports produced. Poloff Peter
Covington would be the Embassy Action Officer, with
Aaron Sherinian as back-up. Post has one State officer
with grant signing authority, who would be present at
Post through the completion of the project, in addition
to USAID grant authorizing officers. The State
officer's authority is limited to USD 100,000.

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COMMENT
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14. (SBU) "Police and Regional Prison Monitoring" is
extremely timely for Armenia. Recent administrative
detentions have shown the need for adequate monitoring
of police activities and citizen oversight. In
addition, we support creating a public, non-
governmental oversight board. Many governments in the
Commonwealth of Independent States lack citizen
oversight boards, and this lack of citizen oversight
hinders the growth of genuine democracy in these
nations. "Police and Regional Prison Monitoring"
should be funded on its own merits and for the example
it sets in a region of developing democracies.
ORDWAY